As soon as 2014, Ohioans could take their inhibitions out of a brown bag and drink openly in the streets within municipal “entertainment districts.”
A bipartisan open container bill introduced by Senate Minority Leader Eric Kearney, D-9th, is currently up for statewide debate. It would allow certain Ohio cities to establish districts that would loosen public drinking laws in an effort to encourage economic development and urban growth.
Whether cities will be granted these open container districts would depend almost entirely on their population.
Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus would be the best contenders and could have as many as three entertainment districts because their populations are more than 300,000.
Since Athens County has more than 50,000 people, it could qualify for one district.
“I have no problem with it conceptually,” Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said. “But it comes down to how you want it to look like. Right now if you’re on public property and you have an open container, you’re in trouble.”
Some local bartenders hope that this bill extends to Athens, since alcohol distributors employ more than 4,500 Ohioans, according to the Wholesale Beer & Wine Association of Ohio. Athens currently has 19 bars.
Jesse Stowe, a manager at Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, 24 W. Union St, said he would have no problem with the bill taking effect locally but fears that it could keep patrons out of bars.
“I’ve been in towns like New Orleans where you can carry (alcohol) around,” Stowe said. “I didn’t go in many bars because I could just grab something and go out. I guess it would hurt indoor business a little.”
Stowe said that Jackie O’s has a loyal clientele that comes in specifically for their local brews. He also noted Jackie O’s could benefit from the bill because patrons could request to take their drinks to the streets of Athens.
Bob Tenenbaum, a spokesman for the Beer & Wine Association, said that he has yet to take an official stance on the bill and needs to know more about the final draft of the legislation.
“We haven’t actually seen the final version of the bill,” Tenenbaum said. “If local communities want to do it and legislature wants to give that authority we’ll support it.”
Tenenbaum believes that the decision to create entertainment districts should rest on the hands of local lawmakers.
Wiehl agrees, saying that the towns that want to designate an area for drinking from open containers should be qualified to do so. He remains wary of proposing a district in Athens, however, because he said he’s not clear on the restrictions.
“With an open container, you can go in a bar, get a drink and go stand in the crosswalk on Court and Union and take a shot,” Wiehl said. “I’m hesitant to do that because I don’t know the restrictions and when it would happen. We already have a littering problem without adding intoxicated people throwing beer cans.”
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